Description

The F-86F-30 Sabre ▅ is a rank V Japanese jet fighter
with a battle rating of 8.0 (AB) and 8.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.39.

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics

Max Speed(km/h at 0 m - at sea level)

Max altitude(meters)

Turn time(seconds)

Rate of climb(meters/second)

Take-off run(meters)

AB

RB

AB

RB

AB

RB

Stock

1,095

1,089

14 700

24.7

25.9

38.8

35.9

750

Upgraded

___

1,106

__._

24.0

__._

46.7

Details

Features

Combat flaps

Take-off flaps

Landing flaps

Air brakes

Arrestor gear

Drogue chute

✓

✓

✓

✓

X

X

Limits

Wings (km/h)

Gear (km/h)

Flaps (km/h)

Max Static G

Combat

Take-off

Landing

+

-

620

___

350

~11

~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)

Ailerons

Rudder

Elevators

Radiator

< 850

< 600

< 650

N/A

Compressor (RB/SB)

Setting 1

Optimal altitude

100% Engine power

WEP Engine power

0 m

2,600 kgf

N/A

Survivability and armour

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Suspended armament

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Modules

Tier

Flight performance

Survivability

Weaponry

I

Fuselage repair

Compressor

Offensive 12 mm

II

New boosters

Airframe

FRC mk.2

III

Wings repair

Engine

New 12 mm MGs

IV

G-suit

Cover

FLBC mk.1

Pros and cons

Pros:

Clear cockpit view for simulator battle

Decent turn time for jet

Good acceleration

Decent armament 12.7mm M3 with a high rate of fire

Can carry bombs or rockets

Decent radar

Cons:

Easy to rip off the wings with high-speed manoeuvres (realistic and simulator battles)

This plane against jet with afterburner and missile

Low ammo count equates to only 15-second burst

History

Following the Japanese defeat and the end of the Second World War, Japan was prohibited from maintaining armed forces of its own. Following the disbanding of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy in 1945, this decision was written into law in the 1947 Constitution. While the original article declared that Japan would never resort to war as an instrument to settle disputes and would never maintain land, sea or air forces or other instruments of war, later on the exact meaning of this article was questioned by successive governments as it meant Japan was fully dependent on the occupying Allied forces to come to its defence in case of an armed conflict. The outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 only furthered this concern, and a new interpretation of the constitutional article came into being: while Japan was prohibited from maintaining an offensive force, the article did not state that they were also prohibited from maintaining a purely defensive force.

The formal establishment of a mutual defence clause in the 1951 US-Japan Peace treaty led to the founding of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in 1954, with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force being its air component. As a result of negotiations concerning the founding of the JASDF, it was eventually decided that the new armed force would use the North American F-86F as its standard day-fighter, with license production being undertaken by Mitsubishi in the form of assembly of knock-down kits produced by the North American factory in California. However, as it would take time for production to start, the decision was taken to hand over USAF aircraft to the nascent JASDF pending the arrival of the first domestically-produced F-86Fs. This first delivery included 30 North American F-86F Sabres and 55 Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star jet-trainers.

The official handover of the first seven F-86Fs for the JASDF took place at Kisarazu Base on December 1st 1955; the last of the 30 aircraft was handed over four months later in April of 1956. This first tranche of 30 aircraft, consisting of 10 F-86F-25-NHs and 20 F-86F-30-NAs, was originally used as a stop-gap pending the delivery of the F-86F-40 variant intended for the JASDF. These aircraft served to equip the 1st Air Wing, which was officially declared operational on October 1st 1956. In the four years they served as daylight fighters, 2 aircraft were written off in accidents. As soon as sufficient North American and Mitsubishi-produced Block-40 aircraft became available, the 28 surviving F-86F-25s and -30s were put into storage.

This was not the end of their story, as 18 aircraft were converted to RF-86F reconnaissance aircraft in 1961. These aircraft were used to equip the 501st Squadron where they would have a surprisingly long career: the last of these RF-86Fs were only withdrawn from service in 1979.